Foldable box



April 22, 1930. 1.. 51'. c. COOPER FOLDABLE BOX Filed March 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

April 22,1930.

L. ST. 0. COOPER FOLDABLE BOX 2 SheetsShee't 2 Filed March 26, 1958 IN VEN TOR.

s p w w E c m R 0 m m m p Patented Apr. 22, 1930 PATENT FFICE LEONARD ST. CLAIR COOPER, OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA FOLDABLE BOX Applicationfiled March 26, 1928. Serial No. 264,942.

This invention relates to foldable boxes of a type adapted to fold up into'a small space when not in use so as to be readily transported from place to place, and which when out-folded or set up for use will form a rigid,

shock-resisting structure adapted for shipment of easily crushed articles such for instance as drummers samples of ladies hats, fancy paper confections, stufied and mounted v1 birds, etc.

The objects of my invention are to provide a box of the kind outlined above which will have great rigidity, be very compact when folded and which may be used repeatedly I without injury.

Briefly described my invention comprises a box structure in which a main frame constitutes the edges and corners of the box, and lattice sections form the six sides of the box. The main frame is made of bars, preferably metal, pivoted together at the corners so that it may be collapsed to bring all the bars substantially to parallel relation, while the lattice sides are pivoted so that they may be similarly collapsed when removed from the main frame, though if desired the whole box may be collapsed to flat form of about the area of two sides even with the lattice sides in position.

The lattice sides are made of slats, preferably metal, pivoted together with the slats running diagonally of the box when in place so as to firmly brace the main frame against collapse. The lattice sides preferably snap into place on the main frame by means of snap fasteners on the corners and/or elsewhere.

The box when all set up is a rigid, strong lattice structure able to withstand severe shocks such as would result in shipping the box structure, or if desired the cover may be small enough to be inserted within the skeleton box, or in other words a lining'for protection of whatever is shipped in the box.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view .5 of my foldable box all set up.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the mai '1? rubber lining or cover for the skeleton box of Fig.1.

Figs. 7 to 13 inclusive are diagrammatic sketches showing various stepsin setting up or folding the box with main features thereof given the same designating numerals as used in Figs. 1 and 2 so as to preserve the identity therewith. V

In further detail'and With respect to Fig. 1 the box comprises six side frames each made of four flat strips or bars overlapping and pivoted together at the corners. The twov forward or vertical sides in Fig. 1 are respectively formed of the four strips A, B, G, D and E, F, G, H and the corner pivots forthe two sides respectively 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7, 8. The top side of the box is similarly formed by i the four bars, I. J, K, L pivoted at the corners at 9, 10, 11, 12.

The six sides of the box are all similar to the three described and the vertical sidesare; Y

all hinged one to the other at the corners as indicated at 13, 14, 15 so that if there were no top and bottom sides the frame could be crushed fiat by reason of these corner hinges.

The top and bottom wall frames are hinged respectively at 16 and 17 to adjacent vertical sides so as to swing parallel with and against the sides, and the top and bottom are also provided with pivotally connected spring clips as at 18 at their free edges adapted toengage and lock with the bar of the side when the box is set up.

Thus when the top and bottom sides are swung over against the vertical sides the box To form side walls for the box I provide a foldable lattice frame designated M,'N, O

gloves, the four corners of the grille being provided with the socket part 19 of the fastener and the corner pivots of the frame are extended inwardly as at 20 to form the button to snap within the socket.

Also while describing this construction attention is called to a few extra snap buttons or other attaching devices projecting inwardly of the box from the grille walls. These are indicated at 21 in Figs. 1 and 5 and serve for securing an article in place inthe box so it will not shift, or provide for suspending a fragile commodity within the box.

The waterproof cover 22 for the box shown in Fig. 6 is preferably made of oil cloth or treated canvas or the like and provided with an overlapping flap 23 fitted with fastening devices as at 24.

In the diagrams 7 to 13, 7 shows the box 7 completely set up as in Fig. 1, Figs. 8, 9, 10 the steps of collapsing it fiat with grille walls in place, whereas Figs. 11, 12, 13 show the separate collapsing of the frame when grilles are removed. The showing of Fig. 11 may be considered the same as that of Fig. 9 with grilles removed and the corners P, Q, pulled upward. Fig. 12 shows the upper corners fully extended, and Fig. 13 the folded members of Fig. 12 again folded one upon the other on the hinges 14 of Fig. 3, thus bringing the finally folded frame to the condition shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1. A foldable box comprising open framework sides hingedly connected together, and lattice wall panels adapted to be detachably secured to the framework sides, said lattice wall panels each comprising a series of overlapping slats pivotally connected whereby the structure may be folded together.

2. A box comprising a rectangular skeleton frame outlining the twelve edges of the box, and a lattice panel for each side of the box detachably secured in place, the six sides of the box thus outlined by said skeleton frame provided at each corner with means whereby the skeleton frame for each side may be folded with frame members substantially parallel, four connecting sides of the box being permanently linked together by said means, and the two remaining sides respectively at one edge permanently linked by said means to one edge of one of said four sides, and detachably at the other edge, .and said lattice panel being pivotally connected in its parts whereby it may be folded. I

3. In a foldable box provided with lattice wall panels forming the sides thereof, said lattice Wall panels comprising a series of overlapping slats, means extending through said slats from the outside of the box to the inside thereof at points of overlap of said slats pivotally connecting said slats overlapping together and devices projecting the inner ends each of said pivotal connections whereby an article for shipment may be sus pended in the box.

' LEONARD ST. CLAIR COOPER. 

